


You're Gonna Fall (But I'll Catch You)

by olivarray



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Barry Allen Needs a Hug, Each Chapter Is a Song, Idiots Communicating Through Music, Idiots in Love, M/M, Multi, Musical References, Oliver Queen Needs a Hug, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Singer!Barry Allen, Slow Burn, Songfic, There's A LOT of Musical References, With Too Many Songs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:08:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26584888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/olivarray/pseuds/olivarray
Summary: "Come on and jump, well I dare you".Since its opening, Jitters has become Star City citizens' favorite coffee shop to go; from their warm and kind environment to the beautiful live music performances, there's no place you'd rather be. Though, we don't recommend their coffee so much.But of course, Oliver Queen will keep ordering that tasteless coffee if it means more time listening to the cute singer. Not that he will admit it out loud.(Or, the coffee shop au that somehow turned into some kind of musical)
Relationships: Barry Allen/Oliver Queen
Comments: 3
Kudos: 26





	1. Uncomfortable

**Author's Note:**

> so, this is the coffee shop au that somehow turned into some kind of musical(??, which means all of the songs that are even just mentioned have a reason to be there (maybe just to show the characters mood or are actually foreshadowing half of the fic), and it'd be better i you listened to them.
> 
> the title is a nod to the song 'i dare you' by the regrettes.
> 
> and they aren't heroes here, though oliver was still stranded on an island but the list never existed and he didn't become the hood, and barry's mom was still murdered and his father went to prison, but take all the speedster thing out.
> 
> also, english is not my first language, but i'm really trying so i hope you enjoy it (and if you see a mistake pls tell me)

"Come on Ollie, I've been wanting to visit this place for weeks!". Thea argued in front of the glass doors of the café.

"Speedy, are you aware it's really late for you to be drinking coffee? You won't sleep later", Oliver stared at his sister with a frown.

"Ollie, are you aware I'm not a kid anymore _and_ it's friday, right?", Thea now replied with just one eyebrow raised, challenging him.

He sighed, "Why are you so desperate to go into this place?". He glanced through the glass but could barely see anything from that point of view, "It's kinda crowded".

"This is the least crowded I've seen it, at this hour, since their opening a month ago", she paused, analyzing his words, then added worried "Is it okay for you? I mean, I really want to enter but I can wait for another couple of weeks, right?".

He shook his head, "No, it's okay". He snorted, "What's the worst that could happen?"

The worst that could happen, apparently, was that they had to separate; since there were too many people, Thea decided to wait in the line to order, while Oliver went to look for a table, and he wasn't being very successful with it.

The only choice he had left was talking with the guy in the table at the corner in the back of the establishment, who was already finishing his milkshake while he stared frustrated at his notebook through his glasses.

"Hey", he smiled politely to the brunette, who was apparently so concentrated on that paper that the sound of Oliver's voice made him flinch hard enough to drop his pen.

"Ah, shit!", the guy looked below the table to find the pen that had stopped rolling when it crossed paths with Oliver's shoe.

The blonde reached for it and extended his arm to the guy, still wearing that same polite smile. "Hi", he said charmingly.

The guy stared in silent at those blue eyes for a moment, before taking the pen and put his glasses in the right place. "Hi, thank you", he nodded to the pen on his hand.

This was becoming extremely awkward for Oliver, who was still standing up besides the table; it wasn't like he didn't know how to talk with other people, but more like all the noise and people surrounding him was making his brain go a bit slower.

With a stranded voice, he decided to keep talking. "I hate to be that guy…", he started, drawing the guy's attention back to him, "But I was wondering if you were going to take long with the table", after a second of nothing he explained, "It's just that everything is so full and…".

It was then when the other guy interrupted, apparently very entertained, "First time here, huh?"

Oliver frowned, "How did you know?".

"It's been very crowded at these hours for weeks".

"I've heard that", Oliver chuckled, then inclined a bit enough to talk directly at him, as if they were sharing a huge secret, "What's all the fuss about?".

"I'd say the milkshakes," they both chuckled, "but apparently everyone's here because of the live music".

Oliver seated in front of the guy without noticing, he was surprised, Thea had never mentioned anything about it, "Oh, there's live music".

"Yeah, there's like three singers all day, usually at this hour the last one is starting", he nodded smiling.

"You seem to be around here quite a lot…", Oliver raised an eyebrow, "Have you heard him? Would you recommend it?"

In response, the guy just raised his shoulders carelessly, "I think he isn't _that_ bad, although, not as good as everyone thinks he is". They both chuckled again.

Then Thea appeared out of thin air, and she didn't seem happy. "I've been looking for you everywhere! When were you gonna tell me you got a…", she stopped herself when she noticed the other man, then smiled. "Hey", she said as charming as her brother.

"Hi", the guy made an awkward movement with his hand, and then tapped softly the table. "And that's my cue to leave", he smiled and rushedly slid off the table. "It was nice meeting you two and I hope you enjoy the table… and the show", he said the last part directly at Oliver, followed by a quick wink before racing out of their sight.

Thea tilted her head in confusion, "What did just happen?". After looking at Oliver's stunned reaction, her eyes opened so hard that it seemed they were going to pop off her head, then she also rushedly slid through the table, occupying the place the brunette just left. " _Oliver. Jonas. Queen._ Were you flirting while I was getting you coffee?"

Apparently that was enough to break Oliver's trance, who frowned when he looked directly at his sister. "No, I wasn't", he took one of the cups she had in her hands, "I was just being friendly, thank you very much", he stated indignant as he took a huge sip of his coffee; however, the taste of it caught him by surprise and made him almost throw up.

"Ollie? Why are you so pale?", Thea interrogated worriedly.

Oliver's senses got overwhelming.

"Did you taste it first? It tastes more like… water with coffee". 

His brain was frozen.

Suddenly, there were too many people.

They were all talking too loud.

The dishes echoed in his head.

The door was too far.

The windows weren't making the air circulate.

Air.

The lack of oxygen got to his lungs.

He was trembling.

It was like drowning all over again.

Thea noticed and panicked, "Hey, Ollie, stay with me, okay? Just listen to my voice and breathe. I just need you to concentrate in my voice and take deep breaths, okay?".

Oliver nodded and obeyed his sister, even when the place went louder for the singer on stage, that's when Thea grabbed his arms to ground him on the table again.

The singer speaked into the mic, making the place go quiet, "There's a lot of people here tonight…"

"Do you want us to go home, Ollie?", Thea asked worriedly.

Oliver wanted to nod, but the singer's voice once again distracted his thoughts. "How about we go for something calmer? I know there's a lot of noise in here and out there that can be very… overwhelming"

When Oliver was able to raise his head and look at the stage, his blue eyes stared right into green ones, this time without glasses to look through, that offered him a warm smile. Then, the boy looked back at his guitar and played the first chord.

([+](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saUxpSgbIbk))

" ** _Driving away, I wish I'd stayed. Another night, hasn't changed. And now I see, it's you not me. Who needs the time, you can't find anymore_** " Oliver closed his eyes while he let himself lay on the comfortable sofa he was seated on, trying hard to concentrate only on his voice while controlling his breathing with the sound of the guitar in the background.

" ** _I never wanted love, but now it's come undone. I'm waiting on the time, you see I care. But now it's fading fast, thought it was gonna last. I'm not uncomfortable but I, feel so uncomfortable._ **

**_The pieces fit perspective hits. You realize everything is the same. You say the same lines, all done on my time. As it goes on, I will be gone_** " Thea noticed that Oliver's breathing was getting steady, even if he still had a death grip on her arms; she didn't mind waiting for him, she already felt guilty enough for bringing him to this place.

" ** _I never wanted love, but now it's come undone. I'm waiting on the time, you see I care. But now it's fading fast, thought it was gonna last. I'm not uncomfortable but I, feel so uncomfortable._ **

**_When the memories bend. I'll see you at the end. And if they never fade. I won't be far away._ **

**_I never wanted love, but now it's come undone. I'm waiting on the time, you see I care. But now it's fading fast, thought it was gonna last. I'm not uncomfortable but I, feel so uncomfortable_** " he ended with the last scratch to his acoustic guitar.

Oliver could have easily fallen asleep on that same spot, and maybe he had, because he woke up in a whole different place that wasn't so full or so loud. He would even dare to give the coffee another try, but he didn't want to ruin his luck.

The world came back to him when the round of well-deserved applause roared in the place. "Ollie, do you wanna go home now?", Thea asked, still worried.

He opened his eyes and smiled at her reassuringly before nodding, "Thanks Speedy".

On their way out, both looked at the guy on stage, who was telling everyone about the next song he was going to sing, something about a buttercup that Oliver didn't mind paying attention to. However, he didn't go without mouthing a 'thank you' that went unnoticed by the brunette.


	2. Scrawny

It was only waiting a matter of weeks for it to have calmed the hype about the new coffee shop; they were still very successful, but now there wasn't an hour long line to order.

This time, Oliver went alone, entering the place at the same hour on the same week day as he did two weeks ago.

He really wanted to talk with the coffee shop's singer, he wanted to thank him and know at least his name. He had been the first person to be that easy to talk to since Felicity, whose problem was to stop talking sometimes, but that's what made her who she is.

After some minutes of looking around, he focused on the same table in the corner, finding the guy he was looking for, who happened to be staring through the window while chewing his pen.

Before he could overthink about it, he was walking towards the younger man.

"You were right", he said out of nowhere.

This time, the man barely flinched, he just turned to look at him with a confused expression on his face. "Right about… what?".

"The singer… he wasn't _that_ bad", Oliver replied with an amused smile, "Still don't get what's all the fuss about".

"Me neither", the younger man shook his head, chuckling. "Some say it's because of his looks, but he's kinda… scrawny. What's your theory?".

Oliver seated and snorted, "Pretty sure it's the CW superhero-looking hairstyle", he rolled his eyes with fake exasperation.

After a second of silence, they both laughed; then, the guy licked his lips amused and smirked at him. "So you think I'm a superhero?", he asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"Well, you helped me the last time I was here". Oliver chuckled, trying to avoid that feeling of shame, "And I wanted to thank you for that".

"Hey! You just gave me an idea for a song before I ended up playing _Build me up buttercup_ again, so I think we're even", he smiled reassuringly.

Oliver didn't want anything more than to ask his name without sounding awkward, but he was interrupted when one of the baristas walked past them, asking the guy if he wanted anything else before going on stage.

After he declined, he stood up and looked right at him. "Feeling good enough for something more up beat?", he asked with the same challenging expression.

"Yeah, if it's not heavy metal", he pointed his finger at him warningly.

"If I played heavy metal, Joe would fire me", he chuckled, but stopped after thinking about it and frowned, "Then he would literally kill me, so that's not an option, like… ever".

Oliver nodded and smiled, "Glad to hear it".

He just replied with a smile before turning around towards the stage.

Oliver watched as the brunette pressed himself on the keyboard while laughing with the man seated behind it.

When everything seemed to be ready, the same waitress arrived, blocking his view of the stage.

"Good evening sir… May I take your order?", she smiled politely.

But Oliver was so concentrated in listening that he didn't even notice her until she had to clear her throat to get his attention.

"I'm sorry, what?", he said as the crowd applauded and cheered.

"Good evening sir… May I take your order?", the girl with curly hair repeated as if nothing had happened.

The crowd cheered more quietly, but Oliver just wanted to hear the man's speech so he said the first thing that came to his mind, "I'll just take a black coffee".

The girl wrote it down before nodding and putting the pad back on the pocket of her apron. "Thank you sir, and we hope you enjoy the show", she wished as she left.

Only then, Oliver could barely hear the name of the song before the electric guitar played the first chords.

" ** _Used to be level with all our friends. Still wear the same shoes I did back then. I don't think they've ever been untied. I can't regret the things I don't try. I'd switch it up but I don't like change. Only content if things stay the same. Don't care to watch the story unfold. Hate feeling like I'm not in control_** " the brunette gripped his mic as he got closer to it.

" ** _I've been sleeping with the light on. I tend to freak myself out! Will you come a little closer now and tell me I'm a-_** ", he pointed for a brief second at Oliver, " ** _Scrawny motherfucker with a cool hairstyle. Scrawny motherfucker with a cool hairstyle. Scrawny motherfucker with a cool hairstyle. I'm a scrawny motherfucker with a cool hairstyle_** " he sang as he moved energetically around the stage.

While the man with long hair played the keyboard, those green eyes stared right through him with the brightest and funniest smile Oliver has ever seen. Anyone would be able to notice he was about to laugh.

" ** _I say the wrong shit at the right times. If I'm offending them I don't mind. Maybe they all should listen to me. It isn't all about what you see. Question though, how do I look to you?. Am I so thin that you could see through?_ **

**_I've been sleeping with the light off. I wanted to remember. Will you come a little closer now and see that I'm a… scrawny motherfucker with a cool hairstyle. Scrawny motherfucker with a cool hairstyle_** ", as he watched Oliver burst in laughter, the singer couldn't help but snort in the middle of the song, " ** _Scrawny motherfucker with a cool hairstyle. I'm a scrawny motherfucker with a cool hairstyle_** ".

" ** _I'll be one of those people you remember. They'll be looking at us when we're together. I'll be a mannequin you can dismember_** ", the brunette sang the bridge with a deeper voice, now without being able to control his laughter; then, he was joined by the guy behind the keyboard.

" ** _You don't like my clothes but you still like my smile. Scrawny motherfucker with a cool hairstyle. Take me home to mom but it'll take a while. Scrawny motherfucker with a cool hairstyle. They might think they're cooler than me by a mile. Scrawny motherfucker with a cool hairstyle. I can still have wisdom and look like a child. Scrawny motherfucker with a cool hairstyle_** ", the pair finished with some last few chords and the keyboard.

The crowd roared in cheers and applauses to the band, joined by Oliver who was still chuckling just by listening to the singer's breathy laugh.

It was just then that he noticed he'd drank more than half of the black coffee that the barista had put in the table at some point of the song.

To say it still wasn't good was an understatement, Oliver felt like he could threw it up at any moment.

But he got distracted by his phone, getting really anxious knowing it was really late and there weren't many people that would call him at this hour, unless something bad happened.

"Ollie" was the breathless response he got from Thea when he answered.

"Yes Speedy, what happened?", Oliver sounded frantic.

"Where are you? I… I thought you were here"

"I was, Speedy, I just went out for fresh air. Thought you were already asleep…", Oliver trailed off.

"I was, b-but I… there was… pain… y-you weren't he-here and I…", Thea tried to explain, but her breathing got harsher.

It wasn't the first time Thea had woken up from a nightmare after Oliver had come back from the island, but watching —or listening, for that matter— his sister like that broke his heart every time; he actually blamed himself for indirectly inflicting so much pain on his sister when he got on that yacht, and that will probably be one thing he will never forgive himself for.

"It's okay Speedy, I'm okay and I'm going to the house right now, but I need you to try and breathe while I arrive, okay?", Oliver couldn't see her, but he was sure she nodded, "Remember, count to four while holding it".

He heard as Thea did it, frantically trying to open his wallet and leave thirty dollars on the floor; he didn't know how much the coffee cost but he hoped the rest would be given to the tip jar.

On his way out of the establishment, he didn't notice the disappointed look on the singer's face as he walked right out of that glass door.


End file.
